Eighteen Elements
by Nitro Indigo
Summary: Jewbi the Budew, Cerise the Cherubi and Airly the Starly were just young Pokémon enjoying their daily lives in Travyanoi Forest, but when a great tragedy strikes, they must put their faith in the old legend of the World's Highest Place. But are legends always true? (Cover made by Khy on Chicken Smoothie.) [CANCELLED]
1. Prologue

_Special thanks to Painful Affinity on Chicken Smoothie for helping me with ideas for this fanfic, and RWBY Rose for helping me rewrite the prologue._

* * *

 **A Kirlia's perspective**

After seemingly appearing from nowhere, the monster approached us, its footsteps feeling almost like earthquakes. The waning sunlight shone harshly off its green, rock-like skin. It was completely primal, acting only on instinct; I could sense no emotions from it besides anger. That anger was so strong, though, that it distracted me from both the emotions of other nearby Pokémon, and everything else in the surrounding area. I completely forgot about something, someone, far more important...  
Without even thinking, I did something cowardly, selfish and careless: I ran.

* * *

I couldn't believe what I had just done. The horrifying scene kept playing out in my mind, over, and over, and over, and over. Through tears, I barely managed to ask "Will… will he be okay…?"  
"I'm afraid not. That monster did some pretty serious damage to him. I'm sorry, but there's nothing we could have done. We were too late," replied the Sylveon.  
I closed my eyes, trying to hold back tears. It didn't work. How could he… how could he…?  
A Sylveon wrapped one of her feelers over my shoulder, trying to comfort me in her embrace. I almost told her to stop touching me, but after a moment I got used to it. She was nice, reassuring, like that, but this time it wasn't enough. Still, I didn't want to be rude.  
"But there's an old legend I should tell you, Kirlia. It may come in useful. Let me tell you the Legend of the World's Highest Place…"


	2. 1: Never Venture Into the Deep Woods

**Jewbi's perspective**

"Long ago, back when my grandmother was a young Bulbasaur, there was a devastating fire in this forest. Hundreds of trees were destroyed in the fire, and many Pokémon perished. When it seemed like the forest would be completely destroyed, a mysterious Pokémon, with the grace of Grass and the wisdom of Psychic, appeared, and saved our ancestors and their home."

A group of Pokémon, myself included, were listening to an old Venusaur tell the legend of Travyanoi Forest. She was one of the forest's elders and a storyteller, and we'd all heard this story many times before. I was sat next to my best friend Cerise, a Cherubi.

"From that day on, that Pokémon became known as the Forest's Guardian, and will appear again whenever the forest is in danger. Be thankful to the Forest's Guardian for every flower, every tree-sprout, and yourselves being here. Be thankful that the forest survived, and that you have a home."

"Jewbi, do you really believe this story?" Cerise asked.  
"I don't really believe it," I replied. "Has anyone ever seen this supposed Forest's Guardian?"  
"Well, the forest hasn't been in danger for a while. Maybe that's why she hasn't appeared."  
To be honest, I was never the biggest fan of the old Venusaur's stories. They were all rather predictable, and she kept trying to push them as "true" despite the lack of logic. How could a Grass-type prevent a forest fire? Unless the "grace of Grass" part was a metaphor. Or at least, that's what I used to believe.

"What about that story of that ancient civilization you keep teasing us about?" shouted a Starly behind me.  
"Well get to that tomorrow, perhaps," said the old Venusaur. "But, children, it is time for you to leave now. Go back to your families, and beware the danger that lurks in the forest."

What _was_ this "danger that lurks in the forest", anyway? I'd heard a lot about it, but I'd never been told what it looked like. I assumed it was a Pokémon of some sort; a big, destructive Pokémon. I thought about it as I walked back home with Cerise; the two of us lived rather close to each other. I considered discussing it with her, but I didn't.

* * *

"Do _you_ know what this monster is?" I asked my parents in the evening.  
"It's said that nobody who's seen this monster has lived to tell the tale," my mother said. "Personally, I just believe it's a cautionary tale."  
"That being said," added my father. "It's still pretty dangerous to go into the deep woods at night. You could get lost, and there are thorns _everywhere_."  
I took in their advice, then went to sleep not long later.

* * *

That night, I was woken up by a fluttering sound. It was the Starly from earlier, with a small bag slung over his wing.

"Hey, want to see if the monster actually exists?" he said.  
"No…" I mumbled tiredly. "I'm kind of asleep right now, and it's dangerous out there…"  
"How do we know until we get there?"  
"That's not a very good mentality to have."  
"But I can fly! We'll be fine!"  
"And besides, I'm coming too!" someone cheerfully spoke up. Cerise.  
"And also," continued the Starly. "I have this." He opened up the bag, revealing a Shiny Stone. "You're the only one who can use this, but I'll only give it to you if you come."  
A Shiny Stone? I didn't want to be disobedient, but at the same time Shiny Stones were rare, and I really wanted to evolve into Roserade. After I evolved into Roselia, of course.  
"Fine…" I mumbled, without really thinking.

* * *

The Starly, Cerise and I were venturing into a deep part of the woods. Just as my father had warned me, there really were thorns everywhere. The three of us had to try our best to not get scratched.  
"The name's Airly, by the way," said the Starly. "And you are…"  
"Jewbi, at least until I evolve," I replied. Most Pokémon go by their species name, but when there are more than one of a species in the area or a Pokémon is young, they may go by a nickname. "Jewbi" came from "Budew", so what would I call myself when I evolved into Roselia?

As we explored further, there started to be less and less living trees. There were a few nocturnal Pokémon around, but they didn't seem to want to bother us. Were they scared of this "monster" too?

Eventually, we got to a small clearing where there was a dip in the ground.  
"Well, looks like there's nothing to see here. Maybe we should go back?" Airly said. The three of us turned around, when Cerise tripped over what I assumed was a dead root – I couldn't see very well in the dark. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a small object falling. And then...

 _Click_

A huge navy blue Pokémon appeared out of some kind of light and let out a terrifying roar. I couldn't really tell because of the dark, but it looked as if its claws were also heads. I had never seen anything like it before.

"It couldn't be…" I thought I heard someone say, but it wasn't any of my friends.

"Do you think we could fight this?" asked Airly.  
"Are you CRAZY?" I shouted. "Do you WANT to get us killed? Apart from anything else, we can barely see in this dark!"

The three of us tried to run as fast we could, which wasn't very fast. Cerise was the slowest in our group. Eventually, Airly grabbed Cerise and I in his talons and fly us out.

"What was that?" I exclaimed, still rather shocked.  
"Whatever it was, it must've been waiting there for a long time," replied Airly.

* * *

 **Current group**

 **Jewbi - Budew  
** **Airly - Starly  
** **Cerise - Cherubi**


	3. 2: Never Look Back

**Jewbi's perspective**

"WHAT did you do last night?"

The next morning, which was unusually warm, my parents had found out about our exploration.

"We… we… we… went to the Deep Woods…" I stuttered.  
"The Deep Woods? The DEEP WOODS?" my father shouted. "I TOLD you not to go there!"  
"Well, it, um, wasn't my idea! It was Airly's!"  
"And now you're blaming other Pokémon?"  
"I was tired and not thinking prop–"  
"That's enough excuses! I am VERY disappointed in you."  
I almost told him that he should be glad I'm still alive, but I didn't want to get into even bigger trouble. Talking back always makes the problem worse, or at least that's what I've been told.

* * *

"Cerise, did you get in trouble too?" I asked my best friend later that day.

"Yeah, kinda," she replied. "Well, actually, they found out as soon as I got back in the middle of the night."  
"By the way, why did you agree to go?" I asked.  
"I've always been really interested in lore, especially the stories the old Venusaur tells us! I wanted to see if the monster was really there."  
"…And you would be willing to risk your life?"  
"Don't think of it like that. It sounds overly negative. Think of it as us being explorers, discovering things nobody's ever seen before!"  
"Still, you're usually the sensible one. By the way, sorry to change the subject, is it just me, or is it unusually warm today?" the heat was starting to reach uncomfortable levels.  
"Yeah, it does seem too warm, but that's great! When I evolve into Cherrim, I'll LOVE the sunshine!"  
"Yeah, but even sunny days aren't usually _this_ warm."

* * *

Later that day, we were in the clearing where the old Venusaur told us her stories. I noticed that a Fletchinder was circling above us.

"Today, I will tell you the tale of the Civilization of Old," Venusaur said.  
"Finally," muttered Airly, who was once again behind me.

"A long, long, time ago, long before the great forest fire, there was a great civilization that spread all over the world. The members of this civilization built amazing things, and they are said to have looked like–"

"Urgent! Fire! Fire!" the Fletchinder exclaimed.  
"WHAT?" all of the young Pokémon, myself included, exclaimed.  
"Don't worry, children. As I told you yesterday, the Forest's Guardian will come and save us," Venusaur tried to reassure us.  
"You need to get out! Now!" the Fletchinder continued. "The fire started a bit further north, but it's spreading fast!"  
None of the Pokémon in the immediate area knew Water-type moves, so our only option was to run.

* * *

 **Cerise's perspective**

If we ran fast enough, we'd all survive, right? I tried to stay optimistic, even in this dire situation. I could already see the fire spreading from in the distance, but I had to survive. I wanted to share words of encouragement with the other Pokémon, but that would slow me down. Unfortunately, Cherubi aren't very fast runners to begin with.

Already, the trees around me were beginning to burn up, and the Pokémon that lived in them were also trying to escape. They weren't very fast, but they were trying their best, right? They had to live too. They had to, they had to… we ALL had to live. I began to hear the rumbling of thunder in the sky. Maybe rain was coming to save us all?

The trees were starting to collapse from the damage, such as one that was not far in front of me. I ran as fast as I could, trying to get past it before a burning branch fell. As I got closer to the tree, I–

* * *

 **Jewbi's perspective**

Airly, who was flying above me, noticed me and swooped down, grabbing me in his talons.

"We've got to get out NOW! Don't worry about anyone else!" he shouted. In the distance, the Fletchinder grabbed another Pokémon in an attempt to fly them out of here. I could only watch as my home was destroyed in front of my eyes… I had no idea where Cerise was, but I hoped she got out okay.

It suddenly started to rain heavily, which was making it harder for Airly to fly. The rain wasn't enough to save the forest; it only drowned what hadn't already been burned. The two of us eventually made it out of what used to be Travyanoi Forest. But what about Cerise?

We both landed outside of the destruction. There were only a handful of Pokémon out here.

"The rain must've been Kyogre trying to save us," a Zigzagoon said. "But he was too late. And what about that Forest's Guardian?"

Where _was_ the Forest's Guardian? If she was supposed to save the forest, why hadn't she appeared to help? Maybe she really was just a myth.  
The "Forest's Guardian" hadn't saved the forest. The "Forest's Guardian" hadn't saved my home. The "Forest's Guardian" hadn't saved my family.  
I looked around to see if there were any Pokémon I recognized. Besides the Fletchinder and a Skitty, there were none.  
The "Forest's Guardian" hadn't saved Cerise.

I couldn't help but cry. Cerise, my closest friend, who I had known my entire life, who was always sensible, and always considerate, and always optimistic… was dead. Why? Why would the world let this happen?  
"Y'know, Jewbi… I lost some Pokémon close to me too. In fact, everyone did. It's strange, really, countless Pokémon died here, but we all focus on one each…" said Airly. I know he was trying to be reassuring, but he came off as rather insensitive.  
The Fletchinder flew over to us.  
"Glad to see you two made it out alright," he said. "I'm deeply sorry for everyone you've lost."  
I almost asked him why he was apologizing when it wasn't his fault, but I wasn't in the mood to.  
"Fletchinder," asked Airly, "how did you know about the fire so quickly?"  
"Since I am a Fire-type," replied the Fletchinder, "I am naturally drawn to heat sources. I'm immune to getting burned, but most other Pokémon aren't. Including Fletchling…" He closed his eyes, looked down and shook his head, as if expressing remorse. Had he lost someone close too? Fletchling was a Normal-type Pokémon; had this Fletchinder lost a younger sibling?

* * *

 **Airly's perspective**

Jewbi was so upset that she barely spoke. I still had that Shiny Stone I bribed her with the previous night, but I knew that it wasn't the time to bring it up. Thinking about the previous night made me wonder if the monster had survived.

We needed to find a new home. Unfortunately, I didn't know the geography of this land that well. We'd just have to explore until we found something. Exploring, exploring…  
Thinking of exploring reminded me of an old legend I'd heard before, although it wasn't one that the late Venusaur had told us. It was a legend my parents had told me many times: the legend of the World's Highest Place.

"Umm… Jewbi, mind if I tell you a legend?" I asked.  
"Why…?" she replied, slightly bewildered.  
"Because this legend gives me hope, especially in a situation like this."  
"Well… okay then…"  
"According to legend, if a group of Pokémon containing one of each type was to gather in a place in this land called the World's Highest Place, then a door leading to where a Pokémon known as the Bringer of Life lives will open. Maybe, if this is true, we could find this life-bringer, we could ask them why they let the forest die, and why the Forest's Guardian didn't appear? And we already have four types between the two of us."  
"Well, I'm not sure if I believe the legend... But I suppose if we go on a journey, we'd at least find a new place to live. I hope…"

* * *

 **Jewbi's perspective**

Even though I was still rather shaken by losing my home and my best friend, I had to stay strong. Cerise wouldn't have want me to lose faith in the world so easily, and Cerise would've wanted to go on an adventure. I didn't tell Airly this, but I decided to go along to ensure that Cerise and her determination would not be forgotten. Slowly but steadily, I would get over losing so much. I had to survive.

And so, the two of us headed east, beginning our journey to find a place which might have merely been a myth.

* * *

 **Current group**

 **Jewbi - Budew  
** **Airly - Starly**


	4. 3: Never Provoke a Sleeping Aggron

**Airly's perspective**

The two of us eventually ended up in a cave system. Neither of us had ever been in a cave before, so we weren't really sure how to navigate one. There were sharp rocks and narrow gaps everywhere, and our visibility was limited. The only light here was purplish, and gave me an uncomfortable feeling. Was I being watched?

As we ventured further into the cave, I began to notice Pokémon I'd never seen before everywhere. Blue Pokémon with purple wings that hung from the ceilings, Pokémon that looked as if they were made of rocks, red-faced Pokémon with sharp claws… I'd never been outside of the forest before, so I didn't know the names of any of these Pokémon, and they had probably never seen a Starly or Budew. One of these cave-dwelling Pokémon, which was tiny and yellow, seemed to be interested in us.

Eventually, the cave tunnels widened into a huge room, filled with even more Pokémon I'd never seen before. One such Pokémon was greyish-white, and its skin reflected what little light there was. It looked as if it was covered in holes, and a blunt spike on its back had a notch in it. It seemed to notice us, and want to talk to us, but then backed away.

Eventually, we came across a sleeping Pokémon which looked like a bigger version of the shy metallic Pokémon. I wanted to wake it up and see what it was, so I attacked it by running up and then slashing it, but the attack hurt me more than it seemed to hurt the Pokémon.

"Are you extremely stupid or something?" someone behind me said. It was a white, cylindrical Pokémon that emitted the same purple light as I saw earlier.

Suddenly, the giant Pokémon, which I figured was called "Aggron", woke up and let out a terrifying roar. It turned to face me, holding out one of its sharp claws ready to attack me.

"You are a complete and utter IDIOT!" the cylindrical Pokémon said. "You and your _friend_ should run; I'll deal with this." She spun around, creating a vortex of orange fire and trapping the Aggron. She then made eye contact with the Steel-type, her eyes glowing purple, causing the metal monster to spin around clumsily. The bigger Pokémon promptly fell over.

"I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm a Litwick, and you can call me Wicks," she said. "Don't go risking your lives like that again! Although it _would_ be rather hilarious…"

Jewbi and I introduced ourselves.

"So what brings a couple of idiots like you here?" she asked.  
"Well… Jewbi and I are looking for somewhere called the World's Highest Place, but we need some other Pokémon with us to do that," I replied.  
"Really? I've never heard of that place, and I highly doubt you would survive. Some other Pokémon here might be more willing to throw away their lives and go with you, mind."

Jewbi and I wandered further down the cave, trying to find someone else who'd be willing to go with us, and get as far away from that Litwick as possible.

* * *

 **Jewbi's perspective**

Eventually, we found the smaller metallic Pokémon from earlier in a dark corner. I assumed it must have been related to the Aggron that Airly had foolishly attacked.

"Hello… what's your name…?" I asked, still rather shaken over the forest fire.  
"Who are you and do you want?!" the Pokémon snapped back at us, with a sad tone in his voice.  
"Sorry… we were just looking for some Pokémon to join our group. I'm Jewbi, a Budew, and my friend is Airly, a Starly."  
"You…" the small Aggron-like Pokémon took a defensive pose and stared angrily at Airly. "You hurt mommy, didn't you!"  
"Well, I don't really think I _hurt_ her…" said Airly, sheepishly.  
"You… you… you…" the little white Pokémon looked as if he was about to attack Airly.  
"Oh, don't worry about him. He's always like this," said a rather high-pitched voice. We turned around to see tiny yellow Pokémon. "Ever since… no, I shouldn't tell random strangers about that. Anyway, I'm Tiko, a Joltik, and that's Oreon, an Aron."  
"Oh! Tiko, would you be willing to join our group?" asked Airly.  
"I'm not so sure. What are you going to do?"  
"We're looking for somewhere called the World's Highest Place, where the Bringer of Life is said to live!"  
"Bringer of Life, huh… Bringer of Life… why…?"  
"Oh, it's because um…" Airly hesitated, then quickly finished his sentence. "Travyanoi Forest was destroyed."  
"Oreon, what do you think?"

Tiko turned around to discover that the Aron had run away, crying.

* * *

 **Current group**

 **Jewbi - Budew  
** **Airly - Starly**


	5. 4: Never Speak Before You Think

**Airly's perspective**

"Oreon! Oreon?" the little Joltik shouted as he ran after the Aron. Had I upset Oreon? I chased after him, but Jewbi stayed where she was.

"Tiko," I panted, "what's gotten into him?"  
"Look, Airly," replied Tiko. "It's something that doesn't concern you. It's rather personal…"  
I suspected that the Joltik was trying to hide something, but I didn't want to point it out because that would be rude. Still, I continued to follow him, although he was a lot faster than me.  
"AIRLY!" Tiko eventually snapped. He jumped up, latched onto my wing and gave me a mild electric shock. "LEAVE!" He was surprisingly loud for such a small Pokémon.

Not wanting to make the problem worse, I quietly walked back to where Jewbi was. My wing was tingling, although the pain dissipated after a while.

* * *

 **Jewbi's perspective**

"Airly! What happened?" I asked the Starly when we saw each other again.  
"Tiko, umm… wanted me to leave…" he mumbled. He looked around nervously, as if to check that the Bug-type was gone.  
Just then, I heard some heavy, metallic footsteps coming towards us, accompanied by a huge shadow. It was the Aggron from earlier. However, she didn't seem interested in us this time, not even stopping to glare at Airly. Oreon had said that Airly "hurt mommy"… was she Oreon's mother?  
"Airly, where do you think she's going? I think it might have something to do with Oreon," I whispered.  
"Umm… Whatever she's doing, I don't think we should ask. Tiko actually… shocked me for trying to find out what the deal was with Oreon," Airly whispered back.  
"Well, then, what should we do? I suppose we should just wait, for now…"

* * *

After what felt like a few hours, the two of us assumed it was nighttime. We decided to fall asleep, but not before tiredly talking to each other.

"It's been a long day, hasn't it?" I asked.  
"Yeah… after wandering in the wilderness for days, it's nice to finally be in a place where Pokémon are around again," replied Airly.  
"Though I've got to wonder… what exactly was Oreon's deal, anyway?"  
"Whatever it is, it would be rude to look into it. It seemed personal… and we have our own problems to deal with."  
"I think that the Aggron had something to do with it. I just wonder who'll join us on our journey…"

* * *

When we woke up, I saw a familiar tiny yellow Pokémon nearby.

"Hey… sorry about yesterday, Airly," said Tiko. "It's just that I didn't want to get Oreon upset. He doesn't always act immature, it's just that…"  
"It's fine," replied Airly. "I've gotten over it now. But, if you don't mind me asking… what's Oreon's problem?"  
"Well, Oreon's problem is something rather personal, and I'd rather not share it with you until I know I can trust you two."  
"So… how do we prove that you can trust us?"  
"Well, Airly, and Jewbi too, rumour has it that there is a great treasure deep within Acier Caverns – that's what this place is called, if you're wondering – and I'd like you to help me find it, to prove that we can trust each other enough to stick together and not steal it."  
"And what kind of treasure is this?" I asked.  
"This treasure is said to be a shining blue jewel, like a sapphire but even more precious," replied Tiko. "Not to mention, apparently it can make certain Pokémon evolve."  
I remembered Airly's Shiny Stone. I quickly looked at him, and notice that he still had the bag. I began to wonder when I would evolve into Roselia.  
"So… it's a Water Stone. I'm not sure if we'd need one, but I suppose it's the journey that counts, right?"  
"So is it agreed? We'll go to find this Water Stone, yes?"  
"Yes!" Airly and I exclaimed.

And so the three of us headed deeper in the Acier Caverns, hoping to find its treasure.

* * *

 **Tiko's perspective**

Why was I looking for something I had no use for?

Really, I only came up with this plan quickly because I wanted to get to know Airly and Jewbi. I didn't make up the rumour on the spot, though; a lot of Pokémon had been talking about it. I'd already told Wicks about it and she, being Wicks, made fun of me, saying that nobody will ever find it. I really ought to tell Airly that she has nothing against him personally. She even made fun of Oreon once; I stood up for him and we've been friends ever since. I must've filled the metaphorical void inside him after Ardora– no, I shouldn't talk about that just yet.

As the three of us ventured further into the cavern, I kept seeing shining pairs of eyes, like gemstones, in the darkness, as well as the occasional sound of claws scraping against hard, steel-like rock. I also kept thinking that I saw a purplish light just behind us. I found them all rather unsettling, because the only other Pokémon here were us three.

Eventually, I saw something blue glittering nearby. It must've been the Water Stone. Airly was about to step forwards and grab it, when we heard a sinister voice.

"Hands – or whatever you have – off! This is OURS!"

Several bipedal figures, all noticeably taller than us, with eyes that shone like gemstones, jumped out of the shadows. I recognised them immediately.

"Sableye!"

* * *

 **Current group**

 **Jewbi - Budew  
** **Airly - Starly  
Tiko - Joltik**


	6. 5: Never Steal From a Gabite

**Tiko's perspective**

There were at least twenty Sableye surrounding us from every angle. They all held their hands out and created a dark purple sphere between them, which they then fired at us. Airly, being a Normal-type, was unaffected, but Jewbi and I desperately tried to dodge their attacks. I managed to get hit a few times. After they had attacked us enough, the Sableye stepped backwards, and another Pokémon stepped forwards. It had blue, scaly skin, with a red underbelly and sharp claws. It was a Gabite, a Pokémon that lived deep within caves and was known for hoarding gemstones, which Sableye ate. "YOU!" the Gabite snarled. "TRESSPASSERS!"  
"Oh, I'm, um, we're sorry!" stuttered Airly. "We didn't know that you were here!"  
"Didn't know that I was here? DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS HERE?" The Gabite held up one of its claws, and it began to glow orange. He leaped up and sliced Airly across the wing. The Starly yelped in pain, then fell over.  
"Airly!" Jewbi gasped.  
The Gabite proceeded forwards, ready to attack me, when I heard a female voice behind me.  
"You'll have to get through me – no, us first!"  
It was Wicks. But why? I always thought that she hated everyone. But there was someone else with her.  
"Don't hurt Tiko!" it was Oreon.  
The two Pokémon leaped forward, attacking. Wicks summoned a vortex of fire, trapping the Gabite, and Oreon scratched the Dragon-type with a foreleg as hard as steel.  
"I heard from Oreon that you were missing and wanted to make sure you lot were safe," said Wicks, turning to face us. "But the two of us can't take on this whole group alone!"  
I focused hard, charging up power, and my body began to glow yellow with electricity. I unleashed a torrent of lightning, so to speak, which hit every Sableye in the immediate area (but didn't affect the Gabite). Airly leaped up, still in pain, and struck the Gabite with his good wing, and Jewbi launched a green orb at it. Oreon lunged at several of the Sableye, one at a time, and Wicks finished the rest of them off with another vortex of fire. After all of the Ghost-types were defeated, the Gabite roared at us before retreating.  
"You… you… YOU…!" the ferocious dragon backed away, back into the shadows.  
Airly walked forwards, grabbed the blue gem in his beak, and put it in a small bag over his shoulder. Maybe it would come in useful later?  
"Well, we got the treasure, and nearly risked out lives in the process. I suppose I can trust you two now…" I said.

As we left to get higher up the cavern, I noticed that Jewbi briefly flashed, as if she was close to evolving. Oreon cringed, and not because it was too bright.

* * *

 **Jewbi's perspective**

"Oreon, are you… sure you don't mind me telling them this?" Tiko asked, once we had made our way to a safer part of Acier Caverns.  
"Sure…" replied the Aron.  
Tiko sighed. "Where do I begin… well, I suppose I should start by saying that Oreon isn't always immature – oh, sorry. He was just upset that Airly attacked his mother, but we've moved on from that now. Which brings me to the start of the story… Oreon once had an older brother called Ardora. Whenever Oreon was in danger, Ardora would stand up for him. They were almost inseparable… but eventually, it became time for Ardora to evolve into Lairon." Oreon closed his eyes, as if he was upset. "However, when he tried to evolve, Ardora collapsed and fell unconscious. Despite Oreon and his mother's attempts to resuscitate him, he never woke up." he lowered his voice. "He, well, umm… died."  
"I suppose I should add something to this," said Wicks. "Ever since that day, Oreon always seemed so nervous, so emotionally vulnerable, that I didn't want anything to happen to him. I also wanted to protect any other Pokémon here who seemed weak in any way. I'm sorry if anything I've said in the past sounded rude; I was only trying to keep you all safe…" Wicks looked as if she wanted to cry, but wasn't physically able to.  
"Wicks!" exclaimed Tiko. "Are you… are you really serious about this?"  
"Of course I am! Why else would I have protected that idiot Starly from that Aggron!"  
Airly glared angrily at Wicks, and then said, "Would you like to hear our story?"  
"Sure," the three cave-dwelling Pokémon said in unison.  
"Long story short, we lost our home, Travyanoi Forest, and we're looking for a legendary location called the World's Highest Place where a Pokémon that brings life is said to live. We want to ask that Pokémon why it let the forest be destroyed. Thing is, we need a group of Pokémon containing one of each type to go there. So… would you like to come with us?"  
I looked at the three Pokémon. Wicks, a Litwick, Fire and Ghost type, who wanted to protect those she sees as vulnerable. Tiko, a Joltik, Electric and Bug type, who was loyal to his friends. Oreon, an Aron, Rock and Steel type, who had lost someone close to him, just like me. I cringed as I remembered Cerise. If we combined them with my Grass and Poison typing, and Airly's Normal and Flying typing, we'd have ten types already.  
"I suppose so," said Tiko. "But shouldn't you talk with your mother first, Oreon? She'd probably worry about you."

* * *

 **Oreon's perspective**

I wandered back up to the part of the caverns where my broken family lived. I was rather upset about Tiko sharing my story, but I hoped I could trust the strangers.  
"Mom… the brown Pokémon apologizes for attacking you," I said, looking downwards. "And also… that Pokémon and his friend want me and some others to go on a journey, but… are _you_ okay with this?"  
"Oh, son," replied my mother. Most Pokémon found Aggron scary, but she was actually really kind. "I worry about you a lot, but it is time for you to go out and explore the world. But just be careful out there; I don't want to risk losing another child. Ardora..."  
"Thank you."

I walked back to where the others were, hoping to move on from my past negative experiences. And so we left Acier Caverns, setting out to find the fabled World's Highest Place.

* * *

 **Current group**

 **Jewbi - Budew  
** **Airly - Starly  
** **Tiko - Joltik  
** **Oreon - Aron  
** **Wicks - Litwick**


	7. 6: Never Let Others Decide Who You Are

**A Kirlia's perspective**

My search for this supposed World's Highest Place lead me to a lake south of Hada Woods. I had to find that legendary place, no matter the cost… for him. But who would ever be willing join me? Most of the Pokémon here looked at me as if I was downright suspicious.

Eventually, I met a yellow Pokémon about half my height - the same height as a Ralts (oh…) when on its hind legs. Sorry... her hind legs. I identified this Pokémon as a Pikachu, and she called herself "Raiden".

"So… I've never seen you before. What are you? What's your name?" she asked, her high voice slightly irritating.  
"I am a Kirlia, and I only share my name with those I trust, thank you very much," I replied, bitterly.  
"Hey, no need to be rude like that. You looked… lost, almost."  
"Well, I'm looking for somewhere called the World's Highest Place. Know anything?" I almost insulted the Pikachu, but quickly realized that it wouldn't help me at all.  
"Umm… sorry, I don't." The Electric-type looked stunned, almost terrified. "But have you seen some weird pink and blue angular thing anywhere?"  
Suddenly, a loud rumble seemed to be coming from the lake. Raiden looked around cautiously, then covered her ears.  
"What was that?"

* * *

 **Kappe's perspective**

Great Lake Nerou was home to many Poliwag, such as myself. Plenty of other Pokémon lived there too, of course, but we were the dominant species, not to sound arrogant or anything. We were divided into two groups: the Robons and Tonos (myself being a member of the latter). My group wanted me to ultimately evolve into Politoed, but I wanted to evolve into Poliwrath. Poliwrath is big, tough, awesome... and Politoed… isn't. Politoed is lame. Why would the other Pokémon force me to become something I didn't want to be? I couldn't just simply talk to them about this, either - Lady Quaxa, leader of the Tonos, had the strange power to control Poliwag by croaking. I wasn't sure how it worked, so my only option was to escape when nobody was looking.

One day, while contemplating everything, I noticed some Pokémon in the distance. I couldn't quite see them clearly, but they definitely weren't native to this lake. I began to swim over to them, but as I did, I felt a strange rumble from the water…

* * *

 **Jewbi's perspective**

"What would happen if we pushed Wicks into the water?" joked Airly. The Litwick shot him a disapproving glance.  
We had arrived at a large lake east of Acier Caverns. After spending several days in a dark and vast cavern, it was refreshing to finally see the sky again. I would have splashed in the lake if it wasn't for the fact that I was much too short. It was much bigger than any pond back in Travyanoi Forest! …Oh…  
There were all sorts of Pokémon here – Pokémon with six short legs and a circular plant on their backs, light blue Pokémon with four long legs and yellow heads, and Pokémon with brown shells and curly tails. The atmosphere seemed so… happy, in sharp contrast to the gloomy Acier Caverns. But as I was enjoying the scenery, the ground seemed to vibrate, causing countless ripples to appear in the water. I noticed two figures in the distance, one green and white, the other yellow. A dark blue Pokémon seemed to be moving towards us.  
Eventually, the dark blue figure came close enough that I could see it clearly. It was a spherical Pokémon with a large spiral pattern on its front, with a small pink mouth that looked more like a nose.  
"Hey, you lot!" the Pokémon shouted. "Would you mind talking to– whoa!"  
Suddenly, a large, long, blue Pokémon with a beige underside, with white, sharp-looking fins all over its back, and a huge mouth that looked as if it could eat all of us in one go, rose out of the water and let out a ferocious roar.  
"I'll finish that sentence later! For now, we have a bigger problem– Gyarados!"

* * *

 **A Kirlia's perspective**

Suddenly, a destructive Water and Flying-type Pokémon known as a Gyarados appeared. Once a Gyarados begins rampaging, it will destroy everything in its path. Raiden leaped forwards onto all fours, her red cheeks sparking with electricity.  
"Do you know how I could get over there?" she asked. I shook my head.  
I could see two Pokémon coming from either side of the lake to fight the Gyarados, one dark blue and the other green. From my calculations, they were much taller than either of us, though it was hard to tell because they were far away. I hate to admit this, but I wasn't good at fighting, so I just watched Raiden as she ran towards the lake and leaped onto a Lotad, which would carry her to where the Atrocious Pokémon was.

* * *

 **Current group**

 **Jewbi - Budew  
Airly - Starly  
Tiko - Joltik  
Oreon - Aron  
Wicks - Litwick**

 **? - Kirlia  
Raiden - Pikachu**


	8. 7: Never Be Afraid

**Raiden's perspective**

While the Lotad carried me across the lake, I could see all sorts of things. All of the Pokémon were teaming up to fight this Gyarados, such as a large group of Poliwag. Once we reached a rock in the middle of the lake, I jumped onto it and fared the Lotad goodbye. I saw a group of Pokémon in the distance who all looked unfamiliar, and some of them were attacking the Gyarados. A brown, Flying-type Pokémon in the distance swooped down and struck the monstrous Water-type, and then a tiny yellow Pokémon, who I could barely see, shocked it. I didn't know where that Kirlia was, but to be perfectly honest I couldn't tolerate her.  
I suppose I should explain how I got there. I'm from a place called Vilegend Plains, north of Great Lake Nerou. I love to investigate things, and I'm completely and utterly fascinated by lore. One day, a friend of mine, a Starly, told me that she once saw a pink and blue thing, that looked as if it was made of unnaturally straight lines, partially buried in the ground when she was flying over the lake. Apparently she had really good eyesight, or something.  
While I was standing on that rock, a Poliwag jumped onto it beside me. She was trembling, and looked almost tired.  
"Hey, are you an Electric-type? You look like one…" she I could tell from the voice said.  
"Yep," I replied. "Mind if I introduce myself?"  
"Well, my name is Quappa… I'm a Poliwag, of the Robon group… but all of the Robons are scary and tough and all that…" she mumbled, sounding slightly scared.  
"I am a Pikachu, and my name is Raiden. Who are these 'Robons' you speak of?"  
"You really don't know? Robons are the group of Poliwag who will eventually evolve into Poliwrath, but they force us to be reckless and all that…" Quappa then cringed. The then turned to look towards a dark blue Pokémon with white fists.  
"Is that a Poliwrath?"  
Quappa nodded. "He's the leader of the Robons, Lord Quoppo. He recently forced me to beat up a Squirtle… everyone knows Squirtle, with their hard shells and scaly skin, are much tougher than Poliwag! I felt really pressured, so I threw myself at it, but I wasn't looking, and…" she cringed again.  
I felt a strong anger surge through me. Why would someone force a child to go through such things? This anger turned into electricity, which caused me to accidentally shock Quappa.  
"Hey!" she yelped.  
"That was an accident, honestly." I looked back towards the chaos. The Gyarados had already snapped several trees beside the river. "But sorry about this, but I've got to go. LOTAD! LOTAD?"  
After about a minute, the Lotad I was riding on earlier swam towards me. I asked them to carry me to where the Gyarados was. Despite appearances, Lotad are actually rather fast swimmers.

* * *

 **Airly's perspective**

The Gyarados roared again, then, with its thrashing, knocked down several trees by the edge of the river. I could hear the screams of the Pokémon that lived in them as they tried to escape from the terror. I highly doubt that they all managed to, though. It kind of reminded me of Travyanoi Forest…  
I flapped my wings a few times until I was almost up as high as the Gyarados, then swooped down towards it, sharp talons outstretched. My attack only succeeded in making the monster even angrier. Tiko jumped onto it and gave it an electric shock, then Wicks confused it.  
A green Pokémon, taller than any of us, was swimming towards the Gyarados, and a dark blue Pokémon with angry eyes swam in from the opposite direction. They were both followed by a group of dark blue, rounded Pokémon, like the one who had just warned us of the Gyarados. The green one croaked, getting the attention of all of its underlings, while the angry one commanded them like an army general. Just then, the green Pokémon seemed to be looking towards us. She swam over here, a strange angry expression on her cheerful-looking face.  
"Kappe!" she yelled to the blue Pokémon we had recently met. "Get. Back. There. NOW!"  
"Lady Quaxa?" Kappe replied. "NO WAY!"  
 _Ku… KU.. RRRRRRIH!_  
The green Pokémon, Lady Quaxa, croaked, a horrible sound, and all of a sudden Kappe's eyes seemed to go… blank. The smaller Water-type mindlessly swam over to where the others of its kind were, and they all blew bubbles at the Gyarados. Like that would do much…  
I noticed a yellow Pokémon, which was definitely the same as the one I saw on the other side earlier, being carried, presumably by a Water-type, right next to the Gyarados. Was that Pokémon crazy?

* * *

 **Raiden's prespective**

Eventually, the Lotad carried me right next to the Gyarados. I could see some strange Pokémon on the shoreline – what were they called again? Oh, yeah, they were a Budew, a Starly, a Litwick, a Joltik, and Aron (with a notch in the spike on his back) and a Poliwag. The Starly looked at me as if I was crazy. I braced myself, charging up electricity, then once I couldn't take it anymore, I leaped up and unleashed it all upon the Gyarados. The Poliwag still continued to blow bubbles at the monstrosity, while both a Poliwrath and a Politoed looked shocked.  
Afterwards, I asked Lotad to carry me towards the Poliwrath, who was definitely Lord Quoppo; there weren't any other Poliwrath around.  
"YOU!" I shouted, once the Water and Fighting-type was in earshot. "Quappa told me about you!"  
The Poliwrath turned around. "WHAT?" he yelled.  
"You are a terrible Poké–" I yelled, pointing at him demandingly, but halfway through my sentence he punched me, knocking me straight into the water.

 _Consciousness… fading…_

* * *

 **Jewbi's perspective**

I launched a glowing, green sphere at the Gyarados, like I did against the Gabite. It hit the Gyarados in what I assumed was the neck, causing it to flinch for a moment, then roar again. The Gyarados reared its head, then reached down, down, down…  
To where I was standing.  
I tried to scramble out of the way, but I tripped and couldn't pick myself up due to not having arms. The Gyarados, in its primal rage, opened its jaws as wide as it could… and grasped me in its jaws, about to eat me.  
It was dark inside the Gyarados' mouth, and I had to be very careful not to touch its sharp teeth, or fall down its wide, long throat. The monster's movement made it difficult for me to stand still, so I tried to get as close to the front of the mouth as possible in order to not be swallowed.  
Suddenly, I began to seep a strange, purple (I think; I couldn't really tell the colour in the darkness) fluid. My poison. The poison soon began to spread all over the Gyarados' mouth, and it involuntarily spat me out. Yuck.  
Now that the Gyarados had spat me out, I was free-falling down from a great height. Bravely, Airly soared into the sky and swooped down to catch me, and carried me back down to the ground.  
"Thanks, Airly," I said.  
"You're welcome," he replied. He then turned to Wicks. "You know, I think the reason this Gyarados was thrashing so violently was because you confused it." The Litwick tried to fold her arms.  
I looked towards the lake. I noticed a yellow figure drifting towards the shore we were on, and a blue figure further away swimming towards it. There countless Pokémon that lived here were still attacking the atrocious Pokémon, which was now weak from poisoning. After a few minutes, it finally fell. I felt so… happy that I managed to defeat such a huge Pokémon. The sun was shining down bright, and my body began to tingle.  
Oh…  
Oreon close his eyes, and tried to run away. No doubt about it: I was evolving! The other Pokémon backed away too, and they all watched in awe. I felt myself getting taller, my buds opening up into beautiful roses, finally getting forelimbs. I was a Roselia! Once the evolution was complete, I noticed that both of my roses were red, instead of one red and one blue. Strange.  
"I suppose we can't call you Jewbi anymore," said Airly. "How about… um… how about…"  
"Rosabi?" suggested Tiko.  
"Yep!" I replied. "Rosabi sounds good!"  
The spherical blue Pokémon stepped forwards. "Congratulations on your evolution, Rosabi. Now that _that's_ all over… I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Kappe, and I'm a Poliwag. Mind if I tell you lot my story now?"  
"I don't see why not," said Airly.

* * *

 **Current group**

 **Jewbi / Rosabi - Budew / Roselia  
Airly - Starly  
Tiko - Joltik  
Oreon - Aron  
Wicks - Litwick  
Kappe - Poliwag**

 **? - Kirlia  
Raiden - Pikachu  
Quappa - Poliwag**


	9. 8: Never Argue Before Understanding

**Rosabi's perspective**

"Well, let me begin," said Kappe, after we all introduced ourselves. "Here in Great Lake Nerou, we Poliwag are sorted into two groups: the Robons and Tonos. The Robons are supposed to evolve into Poliwrath – that Pokémon with the fists – and the Tonos are supposed to evolve into Politoed – the green one. I'm a Tono, but I really, really, really want to be a Robon! They're so… awesome! Problem is, Lady Quaxa forces us to stay in our groups. Quaxa forces her Poliwag to obey her, using her strange croaking powers." I remembered when Kappe, along with the other Poliwag, started mindlessly attacking the Gyarados. "And all I can do is watch the Robons from the distance, and I usually get told off for that."  
I noticed the yellow figure in the water getting closer to the shore, and the blue Pokémon following it – another Poliwag – leaped onto the shore.  
"This Pokémon needs help!" the Poliwag exclaimed.  
"Quappa?" asked Kappe, as if he recognized her. "I heard you were a Robon. If only I was as lucky as you…"  
"KAPPE! _YOU'RE_ the lucky one! Don't you know… don't you know…" Quappa nudged the yellow Pokémon, as if to wake it up.  
"WHAT? Robons are awesome! They get to do cool training, and–"  
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I've been forced to over-exert myself countless times by that stupid, STUPID Lord Quoppo!" she cringed, as if an injury's sharp pain had resurfaced.  
"DID YOU JUST SAY–" Kappe began to shout, but then Airly intercepted the two Poliwag's argument. I'd come to admire Airly; his determination to make sure everyone was happy was outstanding, but I did sometimes wonder why he didn't seem to miss home. We all introduced ourselves.  
"You two, explain, one at a time, please," he said, calmly.  
"Well, Lord Quoppo was making us fight Squirtle, which I really-really-really-really- _really_ didn't want to do, then the Gyarados appeared, and I escaped as quickly as I could, and met this Pokémon…" she said, quickly, then turned towards her yellow ally. "Raiden the Pikachu. She then went to fight Lord Quoppo, but was knocked into the water…"  
I turned to look at the Pikachu. She was soaking, and she seemed to shudder as she breathed.  
"Alright. Now, Kappe," said Airly, pointing to the other Poliwag with his wing.  
" _Lady_ Quaxa," started Kappe, spitting out the word "Lady" with a combination of disgust and sarcasm, "apparently sensed that the Gyarados would come and attack everyone. Then I saw you lot and tried to escape…"  
Airly thought for a moment, then said, "Well… it seems as if you two both have similar problems. I don't think arguing's going to solve anything."  
"So what do we do now, then?" asked Wicks. "Sorry, but if you need help settling disputes, you're asking the wrong Pokémon." She glared at Airly.  
"And we can't exactly go and talk to them," added Tiko. "Just look what they did to Raiden!"  
"Well, I have an idea." Airly spoke up. "I suggest that we split up into two groups. One group accompanies the Poliwag so that we can show their leaders what they're really doing, and the other group stays here and makes sure Raiden is okay."  
"Are you STUPID?" shouted Kappe. "They'll kill you! They won't listen to us!"  
"Kappe… While our… m-m-masters… are very fierce, the bird _does_ have a good idea. Raiden was just one Pokémon, who didn't think about her actions before doing them. These Pokémon seem to know that attacking a powerful Pokémon on their own is a terrible idea… I hope…" said Quappa.  
"If that's the case," said Airly, "Who's coming with me?"

* * *

"Remind me how I ended up in this group again?" asked Tiko.  
"Well, you're an Electric-type, and you were the least unwilling to join us…" replied Airly. "Plus, you helped us get along with Oreon, and vice versa, the other day."  
Kappe, Airly, Tiko and I were going to find Lord Quoppo and Lady Quaxa somewhere in this lake, which Kappe had told me was called Great Lake Nerou. We were mainly stepping on circular leaves and the occasional rock, while Kappe swam alongside us. There were a few patches of land within the lake, covered in very slippery grass. Airly, Tiko and I couldn't swim, because we'd never been in a body of water this large before.  
A blue Pokémon with six short legs and a circular leaf on its back rose out of the lake. "Hey, have you seen a Pikachu anywhere? If you even know what a Pikachu is?" it asked.  
"Over by the bank, but…" said Airly.  
Before Airly could finish his sentence, the blue Pokémon headed towards the bank. Was that Pokémon acquainted with Raiden? What would it think when it met her?  
Eventually, Airly looked towards two islets in the middle of the lake. "That must be them," he said. Straining my eyes, I could vaguely see a tall blue figure and a green figure, who looked as if they were talking to each other. Were they Quoppo and Quaxa? Where were the Poliwag? Didn't they hate each other?  
"Careful," said Kappe. "It won't be easy to reason with them. We'll have to… FIGHT!"  
"Save your enthusiasm for later, Kappe. We're not there yet."

* * *

 **Quappa's perspective**

 _I hope those three will be okay…_

There's a lot of things in this world that don't make any sense. For example, Gyarados was a Pokémon that apparently used to live in the sea, but I've always been told that the sea was completely uninhabitable. It was much too salty and barren to support life. I always liked looking at the sea when I could; Great Lake Nerou was very close to the coastline. Of course, I was never allowed to get too close.  
Which brings me to something else to make sense… the Poliwag groups. At hatching, Poliwag are chosen at random to be a Robon or a Tono. I don't know what the Tonos do, but the Robons are taught the arts of offense and "bravery", which is really more like "throwing one's life away". Once the Poliwag have evolved into Poliwhirl, they have to prove that they're "worthy enough" to evolve into Poliwrath; only one manages to evolve fully, and they become the new leader of the group. The other Poliwhirl are sent away to a nearby river to find a new home, or something. I assume this whole process is the same for the Tonos too. I should ask Kappe sometime… when he comes back from fighting the leaders, that is.  
…There I go, rambling again. I suppose I should get to the point. I was waiting on the edge of the lake bank with Wicks and Oreon, waiting for Raiden to wake up. I was starting to get worried about the four that left, even though it had only been a few minutes.  
After what felt like hours, a Lotad swam up to us. I saw Lotad around this place a lot; they carried Pokémon that couldn't swim across the lake.  
"Hey! Hey! Is Raiden okay?" this Lotad said, who was definitely the same one from earlier.  
"She's still alive, but…" I looked over to the Pikachu. "She was knocked unconscious when L-l-or… Quoppo punched her into the water."  
"Oh… oh… sorry about this, then… some brown Pokémon told me that she was here…" replied the Poliwag. Was that "brown Pokémon" Airly? Was everyone else safe? Why was I worrying about Kappe, someone I was just in an argument with?  
Disappointedly, the Lotad swam away back to the middle of the lake, dyed orange by the setting sun.  
"Is anyone… good with… this kind of thing…? Helping the injured?" I asked, hopefully.  
"Well… nope," replied Wicks, flatly. "My kind is really built for haunting others, and Oreon… well… it's a long, personal story. Tiko, why did you have to leave with those wackos…" She sighed. Judging from Oreon's reaction, she probably sighed a lot.  
I sat down, looking into the twilight sky, wondering what I should do now. I was stuck with two Pokémon I barely knew while waiting for some others to come back, and Lord Quoppo would probably notice that I'm missing by now.  
Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice behind me.  
"Ugh… what was I doing… oh yeah… Poliwrath…"  
 _Raiden?_

* * *

 **Current group**

 **Rosabi - Roselia**  
 **Airly - Starly**  
 **Kappe - Poliwag**  
 **Tiko - Joltik**

 **Oreon - Aron**  
 **Wicks - Litwick**  
 **Raiden - Pikachu**  
 **Quappa - Poliwag**

 **? - Kirlia**


	10. Cancellation notice

This fanfiction has been cancelled.

I'm sorry about that. I'll be honest, I just lost interest in writing this. I'm focusing on several other fanfics right now, and I don't want to be doing too many things at once.  
In addition, I desperately wanted to improve this, but no matter how many times I asked, I could never get any input on this story.

However, if you want to continue this fanfic yourself, you are welcome to do so. Just PM me first...


End file.
